Excerpts from Battle Cry Good vs. Evil
Chapter 10: Grace and Forgiveness
Although none of us deserve it, because He loves us, God offers His grace and forgiveness. Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God’s grace offers the opportunity to be forgiven, free from the guilt and shame of our sins. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Matthew 6:14–15 (NLT) says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” After what God did for us, can we justify withholding grace and forgiveness from another? Can we justify withholding it from ourselves? Withholding grace and forgiveness does not come from the Spirit of God; it comes from the influence of Satan. Satan is the opposite of love, he is hate, and he’s all about severed relationships. He wants us to judge one another. He wants us to judge ourselves. Isn’t it interesting how quick we are to so harshly judge and then hold a grudge? Don’t we all know people, friends, and families, who hold grudges? Some last a lifetime. If we profess to be followers of Christ, what kind of an example is this for those looking on? Does it tell a story of a loving and caring God? Does it shine Light into the darkness?
By withholding grace and forgiveness, we are not following the example of our Savior, and we are not obeying what God tells us to do. Colossians 3:13–14 (NLT) says, “Make allowances for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” We must humble ourselves by remembering, God allowed His one and only Son to suffer and die for our sin. Because of this unimaginable display of love, we have been given the opportunity to once again, be in a loving relationship with Him. This should spiritually inspire and motivate us to clothe ourselves in love, and offer this same grace and forgiveness to one another, and ourselves.
Author’s comments: How has our failure to offer grace and forgiveness affected our personal relationships? How many marriages founded on God’s love has failed? How many relationships between family members, friends, and neighbors, have been damaged or destroyed? God is a God of loving relationship. God’s design of the family provides the foundation for loving relationships that makes us stronger individually, and collectively as a family unit. We should see the foundation love of God’s design for the family in all other relationships.
Don’t hesitate to reach out; Bruce would love to help you grow in your spiritual journey! To contact Bruce personally, go to battlecrygoodvsevil.com. Battle Cry Good vs. Evil is available in paperback or eBook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes. To get the weekly blogs, be sure to “like” and “follow” Battle Cry on Facebook.